Sudan
25.02.05
Urgent Interventions
Sudan: A series of recent arbitrary arrests and disappearances in Southern Darfur
Case SDN 250205
Arbitrary Detention / Disappearance /Incommunicado detention / Risk of torture / Torture
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information concerning the following situation in Sudan.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, of a series of arbitrary arrests and disappearances, as well as torture in detention, in recent days in the Southern Darfur state.
According to the information received, on 22 February 2005 security forces arrested Mr. Adam Khamees Altom (40 yrs), from the Zaghawa tribe, from Kalma Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in southern Darfur state. Mr. Adam was taken to security offices in Nyala where he remains in detention without any official charges. Mr. Adam’s arrest follows attempts by the security forces to move IDPs from Kalma IDP camp to a new camp, 20km from Nyala.
On 21 February 2005, security forces inside Outash IDP camp, north of Nyala, arrested Mr. Abdella Souliman Shaibo (46 yrs), Zaghawa tribe, Shaikh (tribal leader), and took him to the police station in the camp. On 22 February, Mr. Abdella’s family were told that he had been transferred to Nyala Police station when they went to visit him. However, when they went to the police station and security offices in Nyala they could not find him. Mr. Abdella had previously filed a report to the SOAT partner organisation in Nyala, the Amel Medical Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims in Nyala, regarding the rape of three women and two girls by Janjaweed Militias on 17 February 2005 near Outash IDP camp. OMCT believes that his disappearance is connected to this report.
In a separate incident, on 19 February 2005, security forces in Nyala arrested Mr. Abde Mahmoud Adam Mohamadain (39 yrs) from his home in Nyala Hey Almazad neighbourhood (Nyala) on suspicion of joining the Popular National Congress (PNC) party and for allegedly communicating with the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA). Mr. Abdella was taken to security offices in Nyala where he remains in detention without any official charges. His family has been denied access.
On 19 February 2005, six armed men in civilian clothing arrested Mr. Abdel Rahman Yagoub Amir (32 yrs) Zaghawa tribe, from his house in Nyala Hey Aljeer, southern Darfur state on suspicion of supporting the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA). Mr. Abdel was taken to police offices in the north of Hey Aljeer in Nyala where he was allegedly detained for one night. On 20 February 2005, when his family went to visit him, they were told by police officers that he had not been arrested and his whereabouts were unknown.
On 12 February 2005, the armed forces attached Gedel Haboub, 12km North-East of Nyala. According to the information received, they flogged the population of the village and fired live ammunition. It appeared that the purpose of the attack was to intimidate the village. The villagers were accused of supporting and assisting the SLA: During the attack they arrested six men and currently their whereabouts are unknown. They are: Mr. Mahmoud Ali (30yrs), Mr. Dawood Soulieman (45 yrs), Mr. Adam Alnour Mohamed, Mr. Abdella Ali Taha, Mr. Ahmed Abdel Mahmoud and Mr. Adam Ahmed.
On 1 February 2005, security forces in Nyala arrested Ahmed Ali Soulieman (25 yrs) belonging to the Tounjour tribe, from his work in a communication centre in Hey Al Jabel, Nyala on suspicion of communicating with the rebel opposition group. Mr. Ahmed was taken to Security Offices in Nyala where he remains in detention without any official charges. Mr. Ahmed’s family have visited him and they allege that Mr. Ahmed has been tortured and has sustained a severe beating all over his body.
OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons and believes that they are at great risk of torture.
Requested Action:
Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above mentioned persons and immediately locate the whereabouts of those who have allegedly disappeared;
ii. order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges that are consistent with international law and standards, or, if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
iii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into these events and in particular the alleged torture of Mr. Ahmed Ali Soulieman, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply to them the civil, penal and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. guarantee that adequate reparation is awarded to all victims;
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international humanitarian law and human rights standards.
Addresses:
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
Geneva, 25 February 2005
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Arbitrary Detention / Disappearance /Incommunicado detention / Risk of torture / Torture
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information concerning the following situation in Sudan.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, of a series of arbitrary arrests and disappearances, as well as torture in detention, in recent days in the Southern Darfur state.
According to the information received, on 22 February 2005 security forces arrested Mr. Adam Khamees Altom (40 yrs), from the Zaghawa tribe, from Kalma Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in southern Darfur state. Mr. Adam was taken to security offices in Nyala where he remains in detention without any official charges. Mr. Adam’s arrest follows attempts by the security forces to move IDPs from Kalma IDP camp to a new camp, 20km from Nyala.
On 21 February 2005, security forces inside Outash IDP camp, north of Nyala, arrested Mr. Abdella Souliman Shaibo (46 yrs), Zaghawa tribe, Shaikh (tribal leader), and took him to the police station in the camp. On 22 February, Mr. Abdella’s family were told that he had been transferred to Nyala Police station when they went to visit him. However, when they went to the police station and security offices in Nyala they could not find him. Mr. Abdella had previously filed a report to the SOAT partner organisation in Nyala, the Amel Medical Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims in Nyala, regarding the rape of three women and two girls by Janjaweed Militias on 17 February 2005 near Outash IDP camp. OMCT believes that his disappearance is connected to this report.
In a separate incident, on 19 February 2005, security forces in Nyala arrested Mr. Abde Mahmoud Adam Mohamadain (39 yrs) from his home in Nyala Hey Almazad neighbourhood (Nyala) on suspicion of joining the Popular National Congress (PNC) party and for allegedly communicating with the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA). Mr. Abdella was taken to security offices in Nyala where he remains in detention without any official charges. His family has been denied access.
On 19 February 2005, six armed men in civilian clothing arrested Mr. Abdel Rahman Yagoub Amir (32 yrs) Zaghawa tribe, from his house in Nyala Hey Aljeer, southern Darfur state on suspicion of supporting the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA). Mr. Abdel was taken to police offices in the north of Hey Aljeer in Nyala where he was allegedly detained for one night. On 20 February 2005, when his family went to visit him, they were told by police officers that he had not been arrested and his whereabouts were unknown.
On 12 February 2005, the armed forces attached Gedel Haboub, 12km North-East of Nyala. According to the information received, they flogged the population of the village and fired live ammunition. It appeared that the purpose of the attack was to intimidate the village. The villagers were accused of supporting and assisting the SLA: During the attack they arrested six men and currently their whereabouts are unknown. They are: Mr. Mahmoud Ali (30yrs), Mr. Dawood Soulieman (45 yrs), Mr. Adam Alnour Mohamed, Mr. Abdella Ali Taha, Mr. Ahmed Abdel Mahmoud and Mr. Adam Ahmed.
On 1 February 2005, security forces in Nyala arrested Ahmed Ali Soulieman (25 yrs) belonging to the Tounjour tribe, from his work in a communication centre in Hey Al Jabel, Nyala on suspicion of communicating with the rebel opposition group. Mr. Ahmed was taken to Security Offices in Nyala where he remains in detention without any official charges. Mr. Ahmed’s family have visited him and they allege that Mr. Ahmed has been tortured and has sustained a severe beating all over his body.
OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons and believes that they are at great risk of torture.
Requested Action:
Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above mentioned persons and immediately locate the whereabouts of those who have allegedly disappeared;
ii. order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges that are consistent with international law and standards, or, if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
iii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into these events and in particular the alleged torture of Mr. Ahmed Ali Soulieman, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply to them the civil, penal and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. guarantee that adequate reparation is awarded to all victims;
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international humanitarian law and human rights standards.
Addresses:
- His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan, President' s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan. Fax: + 249 183 783223
- Mr. Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan. Fax: + 249 183 788941
- Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affair, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan. Fax: + 249 183 779383
- Dr. Abdelmuneim Osman Mohamed Taha, Advisory Council for Human Rights, PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan. Fax: + 249 183 770883
- His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Mohamed Al- Hassan Ahmed Al-Haj, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, PO Box 335, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +4122 731 26 56, +41 22 716 19 70, E-mail: mission.sudan@ties.itu.int.
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
Geneva, 25 February 2005
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.